The invention relates to a device for the automatic feeding of domestic animals, in particular pigs, with pourable feed and consists of a feed trough above which there is a partially cone-shaped feed container having a floor with an opening and a vibrating device which passes through the opening by means of which the animals can obtain controlled portions of feed.
The particular problems of such feed devices result from the fact that different feed mixtures, like meal, whole meal, corn groats and others can vary greatly in both grain size and moisture content, so that, on the one hand, their ability to pour and, on the other, their tendency to aggregate in the feed container make it difficult for the device to operate smoothly and for the animals to obtain feed without the device jamming.
An object of the present invention is to create a device for automatic feeding which allows the animals to cause the desired portions of feed they require at any time to consistently pour into the trough without jamming, even where unreliable, poorly pouring feed mixtures are used. The invention is distinguished by the fact that the front wall of the housing has an opening below the hopper wall of the feed container, between the latter and the trough, which fits the shape of the head of the animal to be fed and by the fact that there is a vibrating device with a vibrating plate which is larger than the opening in the container floor, the distance between the vibrating plate and the container floor being adjustable to the relevant grain size of the feed.
The vibrating plate is installed in such a way that at rest it covers the opening in the floor of the feed container so that no feed can slip through into the trough. If the animals activate the vibrating device, however, it results in a millstone-like effect which is made possible by the invention and which transports the feed from the centre of the floor opening to the edge of the vibrating plate, where it gradually falls into the trough.
The ability to adjust the distance between the container floor and the vibrating plate to the grain size of the feed prevents the vibrating plate from being blocked by grains which have gotten stuck and, on the other hand, breaks up feed clumps. The advantage of this is that moister feeds, which tend to form clumps, can also be removed just as easily by the animals.